Kariya enjoys
life in N. Van

From page 4

Kariya during the off-season, as opening day of the Canadian
team camp for hockey's World Cup is just three weeks away in
Whistler.

“Pm training hard right now, doing a lot of weights,” said
Kariya of the impending eight-team tournament. which Canada
kicks off at GM Place on Aug. 29 against the Russians.

“Y lift three days a week and I do aerobic workouts the other
three days a week.”

He takes Sundays off.

And unlike many of his hockey-playing brethren, Kariya
doesn't trade his Sherwood stick in for a graphite driver in the
off-season,

“T’ve stopped golfing really,” Kariya says of a sport his father,
Argyle teacher T.K., excels at. “When I start lifting heavy
weights my golf swing goes down south. [ don’t want to embar-
rass myself out there.”

The. talented left-winger certainly doesn’t ernbarrass himself
on the ice. In addition to reaching the coveted 50-goal plateau last
season, Kariya finished seventh overall in league scoring with
108 points —- tied with Anaheim teammate Teemu Selanne.

What makes Kariya’s stats from the season even more impres-
sive is the fact that he logged numerous hours in the chair of his

‘net was‘ in TERRA COT TA PLANTERS
“Tt was a jong season with dental work, probably for about {

three months J was in the dentist chair,” Kariya said. “It was a ; Smail to Extra Large

number of instances that spanned basically the whole year. |
It started with a cut on . ! 3°. $ 30.
the bottom of his rnouth. § ; A to a Best selection on the North Shore

Caps were put in to fix the’
problem, but his bite
changed due.to the caps.
_Back he went into the
‘chair for work on his top
teeth to “reorganize” his:
bite. .
, “A day later: the top
“teeth got knocked out so I
had to go through the
whole process, again,”
* Kariya says with a laugh,

adding, “My dentist is

pretty pleased though —I | | Re Abbotsford Concrete Pavers Native Wall Masks

probably supported him ars onsize of order

for this year alone.” y . oy ; i
.” Phat toothsome : : 25° , oy § 00
adventure’ behind him, | . ‘ ae

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Kariya is focusing on the
"World. Cup (previously
called the Canada Cup). an
“It will be a great “Photo Chris Relke
-experience to play with THE sure-footed Paul Kariya
- those guys,” Kariya says :wilt ‘be. playing for Team
of. the.’superstar-heavy Canada at the World Cup of
- Team Canada. “Probably Hockey later this summer.
_ the highest level of hock- ;
“_ey ever played has been played in what was the Canada Cup.”
“s» And with the Olympics currently taking the world stage,
‘Kariya’s long-range sights are set on the 1998 Winter Games in j 2.
» Japan. The NHL has agreed to tailor its 1997-98 schedule around : ; : Bea :
,the Games so that Canada’s best hockey players can go for the os Cem ,
| -gold, And while it is unlikely the Canadians will dominate like | "Japanese pagodas Patio Sla bs
. the U.S.A, basketball team is doing currently in Atlanta, odds- § Factory Seconds 6°x12° to 24°x24" |
«makers have to like the Canadian team's chances. ; SE 00. ar: 18°x18" reg. 5.99 ea.
-+ “Hockey is the biggest team sport in the Winter Olympics, J . 50.
~ and when I played in the ‘94 Games the hockey final was the cli- ; 48" & up from ;
max of the Games,” says Kariya. “And having the pros therein J.’ : a? each
~~: Japan will really raise the profile of the game over there.” 7 ; : E :
. And what of the profile of the quintessentially Canadian game
“in Southern California now that Wayne Gretzky has packed his
hockey bags and headed for the East Coast? ' . ;
“He brought two new teams into the league basically,” says
; Kariya of the Great One’s influence in California. “If he wasn’t
there I don't think you'd sce a team in San Jose or Anaheim right
now. He's certainly done his job for California and the game of
hockey.”
‘Kariya adds that even without Gretzky’s presence, the game
of hockey will continue to flourish and grow in the West Coast
state.
What the humble 21-year-old doesn’t add is that with Gretzky
now in New York, the highest profile ambassador for the game of
hockey in California is Paul Kariya.

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